Railway-tie and fastener.



I H. WATSON. RAILWAY TIE AND FASTENER.

APPLIOATION FILED OUT.11,1913.

Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

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HARMON WATSON, OF

CULLMAN, ALABAMA.

RAILWAY-TIE AND FASTENERJ 1,090,258. Specification of L r Patent Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

Application filed October 11, 1913. Serial No. #514,696.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, HARMON WATSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Cullman, in the county of Cullman and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway-Ties and Fasteners, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

his invention relates to new and useful improvements in railway ties and fasteners and more particularly to a metallic railway tie provided with new and improved rail fastening means, the object of the invention being to provide a metallic railway tie which is adapted to replace the wooden tie in use at the present time and which at the same time is provided with novel fastening means whereby the rails of the track may be securely held in position, upon the ties.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a metal tie having longitudinal slots formed in each end thereof and fur ther provided with transverse recesses to re ceive the rails. Fastening members are mounted for pivotal movement within said slots and are adapted to normally engage the inner base flanges of the rails to securely retain the rails within the transverse recesses of the tie.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a metallic railway tie and fastenor of the above type which will possess advantages in points of efficiency and durability, is inexpensive of manufacture and at the same time is simple in cmstruction and operation.

l/Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, pointed out in the claims and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view partsbeing broken away and in section; Fig. 2 is a side elevation, parts being broken away and in section; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the rail in position; and Fig. 4 is a similar view illustrating the rail about to be placed in position. Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 indicates the elongated body of the tie which is provided adjacent each end with the longitudinal slots 2 and is further provided at the outer ends of the slots with the transverse recesses 3 which are formed in the top of the tie and are adapted to receive the base flanges of the rails. The recesses 3 are provided upon the outer sides thereof with the undercut side walls 4 beneath which the outer-base flanges of each of the rails are arranged, the opposite side wall of the recess bemg perpendicular, as illustrated at 5.

vrrangecl between the side walls of the slots 2 are my improved fastening members, each of which comprise an elongated body portion 6 which is pivotally mounted upon the transverse pin 7 which extends through the entire width of the body. Formed at ecting lug 8, the outer face of which is curved, as shown at 9, while the under face thereof is inclined rearwardly toward the body, as shown at 10, and is formed coincident with the inclination of the base portion of the rails and adapted to engage thereover when the rails are arranged within the recesses 3. It will be noted that the lugs from the body so that the base flanges of the rails will be tightly arranged between the body and the lugs when the body portion is II]. its operative position.

From the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent that when the lug 8 is in its operative position, the inclined inner wall. 10 thereof will be arranged in opposed relation with the inclined wall 4 and will engage the base flange of the rail soas to securely hold the same in position. When a fastening member is arranged 'in its operativc position, the elongated body 6 is dis posed in a plane parallel with the body 1, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and is securely held against pivotal movement so that the inclined wall 10 engages with the base flange of the rail so as to securely retain the tie in position. In order to provide suitable means for retaining the fastening members in their operative position, the lower side of: the body member 6 is provided at one end witha tapering notch 11, in? which is adapt;

ed to be disposed the removable pin 12 which 1s inserted within the opening 13 in the body of the tie and extends across the'slots 2.

. The retaining pins 12 are preferably wedge shaped in form and are provided at one end with screw threads whereby a retaining nut 14 may be removably engaged therewith to securely hold the pins in position.

one end of the body 6 is an outwardly pro 8 upon each of the body portions are spaced position by means of the transverse pins 12.. I

From the above it will be apparent that after the rails have been placed in position and the lugs 8 engaged with the base flanges thereof, there will be little or no movement on the part of the rails as they are not only arranged within the recesses 3 but are securely held in position by the lugs.

It will be apparent that the device in itself is extremely simple inconstruction, it being understood that the tie, while preferably formed of metal may be constructed of plastic material such as reinforced cement or any other suitable material desired.

It will be apparent that the formation of the ties at switch points may be alternated so as to adapt the same to the sliding of the switch rails in opening and closing the switches.

While I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, it will be obvious that various changes in the details ofconstruction and in the proportions may be resorted to for successfully carrying my invention into practice without sacrificing any of the novel features of construction or departing from the scope of the appended claims.

It will be readily apparent from the construction of. my invention that the same may be used at the meeting ends of the rails to securely hold the same against lateral movement and also to be substituted for the usual fastening means now in use. It will be apparent that Where-my invention is used at the meeting ends of two rails, the tie must be somewhat wider than the usual tie and fiopies of this patent may be obtained. for

points or at any other place where the same may be used with success.

What I claim is:- 1. A device of the class described including clamping members, outwardly projecting lugs formed at one end of each of said clamping members and spaced from the body portions thereof, said clamping members being provided at their opposite ends and upon their opposite longitudinal edges with tapering notches as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination with a tie having longitudinal slots formed therein adjacent each end and further provided with transverse recesses communicating with the slots at one end thereof and adapted to receive the base flanges of the rails, of clamping members pivotally mounted within said slots, outwardly projecting lugs formed on one end of each of the clamping members and adapted to engage overthe basefianges of the rails said lugs being spaced from the body portions of the clamping members to provide recesses for the reception of the base flanges of the rails and said clamping members being provided at their other ends and upon their opposite longitudinal edges with taper ing notches, and means carried by the tie and engaged within said notches to retain the clamping members in their operative position.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HARMON WATSON.

Witnesses GEORGE H. REID, JAMES L. WATSON fivecents each, by addressing the Commissioner of iiatents, Washington, D. C.

It will also be ap- 

